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Post by scarecrowking on Jul 7, 2011 10:01:30 GMT -9
Hey everyone. After an inordinate amount of time lurking and dl'ing model sets, I finally decided to get some printed and assembled. I chose the Imperfect People Desert Elves, from the Desert Oddities file. I edited out the Desert Dwarfs, and added some duplicates of the 'rank and file' elves. After printing them and some sand textured bases, I got to it. Cut the figure strips, glued those and worked on the bases while the minis were drying. Having a blast so far, very excited about the little I had done. Then, came the cutting. I tried to go around the Desert Djinn outline with scissors and a craft knife. After completing it, I have come to a realization.
You people that cut along the outline are off your freaking twig. That was a whole bundle of hell I hope never to go through again as long as I live. I guess this puts me solidly in the 'Bubble Cut' camp, and I'm proud to be there. At least I'll have my sanity.
That being said, I'm really grooving on this hobby. My next project I think is going to be some Fox Warriors. I will also be trying the flat-base approach, hoping to make the sandwich bag storage system more efficient. If I don't like that, I will be permanently basing the minis to their tabs, and possibly going with the pizza box system I saw here on the boards. That just looks too funky to not try lol.
Anyway, just wanted to weigh in on my first experience with these kind of models. Had fun, can't wait to try more. And Drew, please keep the Imperfect People coming, those are some great minis. If you ever consider doing ratmen, I would happily plunk down cash for some of those in your style!
-Brian
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Post by glennwilliams on Jul 7, 2011 10:15:35 GMT -9
I know what you mean. In the rare instances when I design figures (American and Russian future combat soldiers) I design a rectangular cutout and then trim the upper corners. I also fold from the top with a fold out base because I don't like the "lip" you need on the bottom-fold figure bases (admittedly a matter of personal aesthetics on my own designs).
However, I just did a new printout of Jim's Terra Force marines (I used them for scaling on Bel's Kitty), and the outline cutout really wasn't bad--and I was using scissors. Maybe five-ten minutes for the squad, bases extra. That's not that much of a time and energy investment.
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Post by Parduz on Jul 7, 2011 10:39:05 GMT -9
I hear you, Scarecrowking. Really. I HATE the cutting process. What i've done is grab some surgical knifes and use them for cutting. That halves the cuts i have to do (or the pressure i apply if i have to rush). Anyway, i still have a lot of "bubbled" minis myself. I can't afford a cutting robot (or better: i'd buy 2, 4 boardgames for that money, instead). If you can, then go for it, as automatic cutting machines removes the "curse" of paper gaming: cutting
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Post by Vermin King on Jul 7, 2011 10:58:52 GMT -9
I fall into the camp of only using the minis that look easy to cut out. A friend's son gets the ones I don't use. He doesn't mind tedious cutting.
What I need to do is get him to cut out all my minis in exchange for me getting him a copy of his own ... maybe. Oftentimes the ones I give him end up being the ones I wish I had.
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Post by pblade on Jul 7, 2011 11:30:31 GMT -9
I have to admit it was Jim's ghosts & spirits from the Halloween bundle that convinced me a robocutter was worth the cost. And since I'm not the one making most of the cut files for them, it's even better. Still, I do still put the occasional Xacto to use. Welcome to the hobby, ask questions, and have fun. - Pb
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Post by glennwilliams on Jul 7, 2011 14:10:01 GMT -9
I should also put in a plug for my favorite knife: the Olfa SVR-2. It's a single-edge snap-off strips so individual blades are less than dirt cheap. Sharper than an Xacto, easier to control, and not that expensive. They're available at DIY stores. If your hands (like mine) are getting a bit stiff, you can buy the little cushioned pencil sleeves at an office supply or department store and slip them on the blade holder. There's also a Husky single edge strip blade knife that fits your hand comfortably and has cushions. Full disclosure: I didn't like the Husky as much as the Olfa. YMMV.
Comfortable, good quality cutting implements really help.
I got mine from Mel Ebbles (aka Chris Roe) when he was still nit he supplies business and haven't looked back.
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Post by scarecrowking on Jul 7, 2011 17:30:00 GMT -9
Thanks for the advice about the knife. I also looked at those TerraForce Marines. They do look like they would be easier than some of the fantasy stuff I've been looking at trying. Unfortunately, I don't have a set of modern/scifi rules that really thrill me, and I'd rather put the time and effort into the fantasy stuff cause we like Song of Blades and Heroes at the moment. My wife wants me to do the Red Dragon from the Hoard files, but she ain't a gamer so she got no say ;D
As an aside, I mounted a few bases on foamcore tonight. Not sure how I feel about them, going to have to use em in a few days and see how they feel.
-Brian
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Post by Vermin King on Jul 7, 2011 17:43:47 GMT -9
You could use the dragon as a 'together' activity and have her cut out the pieces ...
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Post by nikloveland on Jul 13, 2011 5:22:26 GMT -9
Yes, I can agree that hand-cutting paper minis is not always the best part of this hobby. I had my wife cutting out paper minis for most of the summer when I first found out about them. She won't let me live it down now. But on the bright side she was almost as excited as I was when we got our CraftROBO cutter. That has been my best single investment in miniatures gaming! I would even forgo the purchase of a boardgame or four to get it
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Post by wintermute on Jul 18, 2011 21:19:42 GMT -9
Meh, I'm a poor college student so I have to make do with my trusty X-Acto knife and an old crummy inkjet printer I've had since I was in highschool.
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Post by glennwilliams on Jul 19, 2011 7:13:51 GMT -9
Meh, I'm a poor college student so I have to make do with my trusty X-Acto knife and an old crummy inkjet printer I've had since I was in highschool. Buy a good pair of smallish scissors and a larger pair for long, straight cuts. Cheap, they work, and you don't get quite so many cuts (OK, I'm a klutz).
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Post by josedominguez on Jul 19, 2011 9:21:53 GMT -9
If printing a page at 55% (for 15mm) is it easy to convert the cut file too?
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Post by aom on Jul 28, 2011 8:28:35 GMT -9
If you've got to hand cut, the SVR-2 is the Cadillac of tools for it. I love mine, and I'm never going back. Chris not only has most of my favorite models, he also made me aware of this knife and the coverstock.
This knife scores with almost no pressure, and cutting is a breeze. I cut almost all of my models freehand now, not just flats. Then again, I only really use soldier flats for the most part, so I'm not cutting crazy stuff like some of the ghosts and things from the Hoards.
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Post by Vermin King on Jul 28, 2011 11:47:05 GMT -9
besides the Olfa knife (thanks, Mel), my next most used cutter is a pair of scissors that I think were made to trim nails. Saw it at a beauty supply store when my son was getting hair color (don't ask). They have a curved blade which I thought would be good for cutting round items. It is, but you actually want to have the curve of the scissors go opposite of the curve you are cutting. I wouldn't cut wheels without it.
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Post by Dominic on Aug 5, 2011 2:12:21 GMT -9
If printing a page at 55% (for 15mm) is it easy to convert the cut file too? In my experience no, it'd be quite a bugger, becauce when printing it scaled you'd also scale the registration marks as well, and the cutter would not find them. I havn't tried, and I'm not saying that there's not a workarround or a way to do it easily, but I can't imagine one from where I'm standing.
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